Masks, lithography device and semiconductor component

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to masks comprising a multilayer coating of a specified period thickness distribution such as those used in lithography devices for producing semiconductor components. One problem of projection optics concerns pupil apodization which leads to imaging defects. The invention provides that the period thickness in the mask plane is selected so that it is greater than the period thickness ideal for maximum reflectivity. As a result, not only does the apodization over the pupil become more symmetric but the intensity variation also becomes smaller overall.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns masks with a multilayer coating having a periodthickness distribution d(x,y,z). Moreover, the invention concerns alithography device and a semiconductor component.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Semiconductor components are generally produced by means of lithographytechniques. For this, structures dictated by a mask are projected onto asubstrate by means of illumination and projection systems. Generally,light with wavelengths in the UV region is used for this. In the courseof the ongoing miniaturization of semiconductor components, wavelengthsin the extreme ultraviolet region (EUV) and in the soft x-ray regionare, being adopted. This spectrum corresponds to wavelengths in theregion of 1 to 20 nm.

At these wavelengths, the mask can no longer work by transmission, sincethere is no transparent material for these wavelengths. One uses maskswhich work by reflection. In order to assure a reflection, the maskshave a multilayer coating. Such multilayers are built up from periodicrepetitions, in the most elementary case a period consisting of twolayers. Generally, one material of the layer should have the highestpossible index of refraction and low absorption, while the other layermaterial should have the lowest possible index of refraction. The layerwith the high index of refraction and low absorption is also known as aspacer, the layer with low index of refraction is also called theabsorber. In the EUV range, gem silicon with an index of refraction of1.0 is used as the spacer and molybdenum with an index of refraction of0.92 as the absorber. The period thickness and the thickness of theindividual layers are chosen in dependency on the operating wavelength,the mean angle of incidence, and the angle bandwidth of the incidentradiation so that the reflectivity integrated over the illuminatedsurface is maximized at the operating wavelength.

Multilayer coatings act as a Bragg reflector, so that one observes areflectivity depending on the angle of incidence. This becomesnoticeable, e.g., in the form of a nonhomogeneous intensity distributionin the pupil of projection optics, the so-called pupil apodization. Forit is not technically possible to produce illumination sources andillumination systems providing only precisely one angle of incidence.Furthermore, such so-called coherent illuminations only permit theimaging of gross structures, whereas one can resolve and correspondinglyportray finer structures with partially coherent or incoherentillumination systems. Such illumination systems have a finitely openedcone of illumination rays. The pupil apodization can result in imagingerrors, such as inhomogeneous intensity when projecting the maskstructure onto a substrate, telecentric errors, and structure-dependentor field-dependent limits of resolution (so-called HV differences or CDvariations).

EP 1 282 011 A2 shows ways of minimizing the apodization by measurestaken for the projection system. The projection objective proposed therefor imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane into an image plane bymeans of electromagnetic radiation from the EUV range has severalimaging mirrors provided with multilayer coatings between the objectplane and the image plane, defining one optical axis of the projectionobjective. At least one of the mirrors has a graduated multilayercoating with a layer thickness varying in rotational symmetry to an axisof coating, while the axis of coating is arranged eccentrically to theoptical axis of the projection objective. This takes care of the problemof pupil apodization, i.e., the strong fluctuation in intensity over thepupil, since one works with a rotationally symmetrical apodization. As aresult, the apodization is almost independent of the field. This isachieved in that the projection objective has two mirrors with centeredand graduated multilayer coating, and the two multilayer coatings areappropriately coordinated with each other.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,961 B1 concerns itself with lessening the influenceof the bandwidth of the source spectrum on the lithographic imaging. Thereflective mask is employed in the soft x-ray wavelength region, and thereflection occurs on a multilayer coating. It is proposed to vary theperiod thickness of the multilayer coating over the depth of thecoating. Thanks to this thickness variation, the reflectivity profilebecomes broader, depending on the angle of incidence or the wavelength.This has the effect that the lithographic imaging becomes less sensitiveto fluctuations in the angle of incidence and the wavelength. Thethickness variation can be continuous or occur in stages over the depthof the coating.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem of the present invention is to propose measures enabling areduction in the imaging errors due to apodization effects.

This problem is solved by masks, a lithography device, and asemiconductor component according to the claims.

Surprisingly, it turns out that if one backs off a little from the ruleof optimizing the reflectivity of the mask for the operating wavelength,and selects the period thickness d(x,y,z) larger in at least one placethan the period thickness d_(ideal) at which maximum reflectivity wouldoccur for the operating wavelength, the reflectivity profile on the maskis modified to the extent that the apodization not only becomes moresymmetrical, and thus telecentric errors are diminished, but also theintensity variation caused overall by the apodization is diminished.

Contrary to the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,961 B1, one need notresort to costly depth-graduated multilayer coatings for this. It hasbeen found that significant improvements can even be achieved withperiod thickness distributions d(x,y) that are constant over the depth.In any case, however, one can additionally design the multilayer coatingas a depth gradient, in order to increase the bandwidth of reflection atthe mask according to the invention.

In an especially preferred embodiment, the period thickness d(x,y,z) isgreater than d_(ideal) over the entire surface of the reticle, i.e., inthe x-y plane. This has proven to be especially advantageous forlarge-area masks.

Most especially preferred is a constant period thickness d(x,y,z) overthe entire mask surface and especially for the entire coating. Thisresults in a great simplification not only for the design of themultilayer coating, but also for the fabrication of the mask. Namely, ithas been discovered that even a slight enlargement of the periodthickness by a constant amount over the entire mask surface can achievea symmetrical apodization with little intensity fluctuation and onlyslight loss in terms of overall reflectivity.

Good results are also achieved when one selects the period thicknesssuch that the reflectivities are the same for the aperture boundary raysof a given illumination aperture. If, say, α0 is the angle of incidenceof the principal ray of the illumination aperture Na_(illuminator) andΔα=arcsin(NA_(illuminator)) is the corresponding half-aperture angle ofthe illumination aperture, the period thickness according to theinvention should be chosen so that the reflectivity fulfills thefollowing relation, depending on the angle of incidence at the operatingwavelength:

R(α0+Δα)=R(α0−Δα). The choice of the corresponding period thickness canbe done, for example, by an iteration process. Then, only in the limitcase of coherent illumination (Δα→0) will there be an agreement with theusual choice of period thickness d(x,y,z) =d_(ideal). Especiallypreferred is the case d(x,y,z)>d_(ideal) in at least one place(x₀,y₀,z₀).

The improvements obtained by using the invented masks in lithographydevices can be further strengthened if the illumination system isdesigned so that the exit pupil of the illumination system isdeliberately illuminated inhomogeneously. Thanks to this combination ofmeasures for the illumination system, as well as for the mask, the pupilapodization can be effectively minimized.

Even lithography devices working with traditional masks in transmissionin the UV region exhibit a reduced pupil apodization when theillumination system is designed so that the exit pupil of theillumination system is deliberately illuminated inhomogeneously, so thatapodization effects, especially those caused by the mask in the beampath, are at least partly compensated.

Advantageously, the inhomogeneous illumination as a function of thefield point is adapted to the angle of incidence per field. Thecorrection measures can be undertaken by means of optical componentsarranged in front of the mask in the beam path.

It has proven to be especially effective to employ at least one filterfor this. The actual masks may have reflectivities which deviate fromthe ideal reflectivity, or they may have additional effects caused bydiffraction structures which influence the pupil illumination. Forexample, there might be illumination-dependent diffraction efficienciesfor object structures in the mask containing the structure. These can becompensated by suitable filters. For example, individual subpupils canbe influenced according to field position by a honeycomb filter. One canchange the filter according to the mask being used. For this, one canuse a filter wheel, for example. Suitable filters are described, e.g.,in DE 103 34 722.4.

Moreover, further symmetry can be achieved for the pupil apodization byproviding at least one optical element with centered, graduatedmultilayer coating in addition in the projection system, as is describedin EP 1 282 011 A2. The graduated multilayer coating will preferably beoptimized to compensate for the residual apodization of the pupil,especially that caused by reflection on the mask. For further symmetryin the apodization, two or more optical elements can be employed withsubstantially centered graduated multilayer coating, with the multilayercoating of the individual optical elements being attuned to each other.

Thanks to the lithography devices as described, semiconductor componentscan be fabricated by structuring of a substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention shall now be explained more closely by means of drawings.These show:

FIG. 1 a a basic layout of an EUV lithography device;

FIG. 1 b a detailed sketch of an EUV lithography device;

FIG. 2 the reflectivity as a function of the angle of incidence for awavelength of 13.5 nm;

FIG. 3 the reflectivity as a function of the wavelength and the angle ofincidence for a traditional mask;

FIG. 4 a-e the pupil apodization resulting from the reflection at thetraditional mask at five different field points;

FIG. 5 the reflectivity as a function of the wavelength and the angle ofincidence for a mask according to the invention, and

FIG. 6 a-e the pupil apodization resulting from reflection at a maskaccording to the invention at five different field points.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an EUV lithography device 1 for fabrication ofsemiconductor components by structuring of a substrate 7. A beam 3arriving from the light source 2 is taken to an illumination system 4,which deflects the beam 3 onto a mask 5 so that it is illuminated. Atthe mask 5, the EUV beam 3 is diffracted by reflection and taken to theprojection system 6, which deflects the EUV beam 3 onto the substrate 7,whereby the structure existing on the surface of the mask is projectedonto the substrate 7.

FIG. 2 shows the reflectivity as function of the angle of incidence foran operating wavelength of 13.5 nm. The central principal ray angle is6°. Here, a maximum reflectivity of around 74.6% is achieved. However,EUV light also impinges on the mask 5 at marginal ray angles between3.5° and 8.5°. There, only reflectivities of around 74.3% and 73.9%,respectively, are achieved. Thus, the reflectivity fluctuates quitesubstantially for different angles of incidence. A further complicationis that this fluctuation does not occur symmetrically to the centralprincipal ray angle. This results in a pupil apodization and imagingerrors in the form of telecentric errors, CD variations, and so-calledH-V differences. These are variations in structure width between theimaging elements of horizontal and vertical structures laid out withidentical width on the masks.

If, as shown above, an inhomogeneous pupil illumination or so-calledapodization occurs due to the angle-dependent reflectivity on the mask5, this can be at least partly compensated by an appropriate predictionof the distribution of intensity of the illumination light over theillumination angle at a particular field point. For this, onedetermines, for example, using the generally familiar method of raytrace-back, that intensity distribution over the angle of illuminationat which a homogeneously illuminated pupil on the wafer substrate 7 willoccur after reflection by the mask 5 and passage through the projectionoptics, i.e., with no deviation from the desired telecentrism. Moreover,it is conceivable to allow for the angle-dependent diffractionefficiencies of structures being imaged on the reflection mask 5, inaddition to the angle-dependent reflectivity. To achieve an optimalcompensation, the compensation can be adapted to a particular preferredor predominantly occurring structure width and orientation by using aninterchangeable filter element.

In the following, FIG. 1 b shall be used as an example to explain thecompensation by filter of apodization effects induced by the mask. Thisis done on the example of a projection illuminating layout with anillumination system 206 having a honeycomb condenser 1000,1002.

The basic EUV projection illumination layout is explained at length inWO 02/00608, and the full extent of its disclosure is incorporated inthe present application.

The EUV projection illumination layout of FIG. 1 b comprises anillumination system 206 with a diffractive spectral filter 200, realizedfor example by a lattice. Thus, together with the diaphragm 302 in theneighborhood of the intermediate image Z of the light source 301,unwanted radiation with wavelengths substantially larger than thedesired wavelength, in the present case 13.5 nm, can be prevented fromentering the portion of the illumination system coming after thediaphragm 302.

The diaphragm 302 also serves to separate the space 304 with lightsource 1, collector 303, and lattice 200 from the following elements ofthe illumination system 206. By installing a valve near the intermediatefocus Z, a pressure separation is also possible. The separation by spaceor pressure can prevent impurities deriving from the light source 301from getting into the portion of the illumination system coming afterthe diaphragm 302. The collector 303 used here is nested with eightshells.

After the diaphragm 302 are arranged a first, second, third, fourth andfifth optical element 102, 104, 106, 108, 110. The first optical element102 comprises 122 first grid elements with a dimension of 54 mm×2.75 mmeach. The second optical element 104 has at least 122 second gridelements with a diameter of 10 mm each, coordinated with the first gridelements.

Each of the first grid elements, which are projected into the objectplane 114 and whose projecting elements are superimposed there, arecoordinated with second grid elements. Thus, the intensity occurring ata first grid element corresponds to the intensity of the coordinatedsecond grid element, which in turn corresponds to an illumination anglein the object plane 114.

Directly in front of the first grid elements 102 is arranged thecorrection filter 1000. For example, it is located in a filter wheelwhich can turn about an axis of rotation 1010 so as to exchange it foranother correction filter 1002, adapted to different projectedstructural widths or orientations on the mask. A standardized filterelement with an active component is another conceivable configuration.The filter 1000 can also be arranged after the second optical element104 or between the first and the second optical element 102, 104.

The filter 1000 for correcting the apodization effect as a function ofthe field position is designed so that the radiation flux is weakened infront of certain first grid elements, which correspond by thecoordination with certain second grid elements to certain illuminationangles at particular field locations, so that a homogeneousscan-integrated field and pupil illumination is produced in the imagespace of the projection illumination layout over all illumination anglesafter reflection by the mask.

The second grid elements of the second optical element 104 are projectedvia the mirrors 106, 108 and 110 into the entry pupil of the followingprojection objective 126 with six mirrors 128.1, 128.2, 128.3, 128.4,128.5, 128.6. The projection objective 126 projects the annular field inthe object plane 114 into an image field in an image plane 124, wherethe object being illuminated is situated, such as a wafer. Thestructure-carrying mask is arranged in the object plane 114.

In a first variant (not shown) of the projection objective 126, mirror128.2 has a graduated, decentralized multilayer coating which issymmetrical about the axis of coating. In a second variant (not shown)of the projection objective 126, the mirrors 128.4 and 128.5 have anessentially centered, graduated multilayer coating, and both coatingsare attuned to each other. These projection objective variants result ina further reduction in the pupil apodization, in addition to the use ofa mask according to the invention, which is explained in detail furtherbelow.

The mirror 110 of the illumination system 206 serves to form the annularfield in the object plane 114 and consists of an off-axis segment of ahyperboloid of revolution. The system shown in FIG. 1 b is designed fora field radius of R=130 mm with an illumination aperture of NA=0.03125in the object plane 114, i.e., at the mask. This corresponds to afilling ratio of σ=0.5 in the entry pupil of a following 4:1 projectionobjective with an aperture NA=0.25 in the plane 124.

The angle of incidence at the mask (in the object plane 114) usuallydepends on the particular field position, especially when there is notelecentric beam path at the mask, as in reflective EUV projectionillumination layouts. If an apodization of the pupil and/or aninhomogeneous illumination of the image plane 124 exists on account ofthe angle-dependent reflectivity of the mask, it is possible tocompensate for this apodization or nonuniform illumination of the imageplane, for example, by partial obscuring of the honeycomb channels of ahoneycomb condenser. For this, one attenuates the intensity of theillumination directions, which are reflected with a higher reflectivityby the mask, at the corresponding field and pupil locations. Thehoneycomb condenser (not shown) is mounted at the second grid elementsof the second optical element 104. This enables a constant changing ofthe distribution of intensity over all field positions. If one alsowishes to compensate for apodization effects dependent on fieldposition, this is done by the filter 1000 arranged in front of the firstoptical element 102, as already described.

For the imaging in a scanning projection illumination layout, in whichthe mask and the object being illuminated, such as a wafer, move insynchronization with each other during the illumination process, it isonly necessary for the illumination of the image field and the pupilintegrated in the scanning process to be largely homogeneous. In thelayout shown in FIG.1 b, telecentrism errors of less than 10 mrad on thewafer and intensity fluctuations of less than 0.5% are customary.

While the projection illumination layout shown in FIG. 1 b projects thefirst grid elements of the first optical element 102, also known asfield honeycombs, directly into the object plane 114, projectionillumination layouts in which the first grid elements are firstprojected as an intermediate image and then into the object plane 114 byoptics placed afterwards in the beam path are also possible. Such anillumination system is described at length in WO 01/09681, whose fulldisclosure contents are incorporated in the present application.

In FIG. 3, the reflectivities for different angles of incidence from 2°to 10° are plotted against the wavelength. The traditional mask usedhere is optimized for an operating wavelength of 13.5 nm and a principalray angle of 6°. This mask has a molybdenum/silicon multilayer coatingwith a period thickness of d_(ideal)=6.948 nm.

FIGS. 4 a-e show the resulting pupil apodization for five differentfield points in relative pupil coordinates. The precise values aresummarized in Table 1. One also notices the trend of the apodization inthe exit pupil, which is distinctly asymmetrical. Furthermore, thereflectivity is subject to strong variation and takes on values between66.42% to 68.20% and 72.78%.

In comparison, FIGS. 5 and 6 a-e show the corresponding situation for amask according to the invention. The mask of the invention also has amolybdenum/silicon multilayer coating. However, the period thicknesshere was chosen as constant 6.976 nm. For the reflectivity as a functionof the angle of incidence, this means that the reflectivity is now amaximum at an angle of incidence of around 8°, instead of 6°, at theoperating wavelength of 13.5 nm.

The improvements with respect to the apodization in the exit pupil arevery obvious, as shown in FIG. 6 a-e for the same field points as inFIG. 4 a-e (also see Table 2). First, a saddle surface is formed in theexit pupil, having a much greater symmetry than the apodization of thetraditional reticle. Furthermore, the reflectivity now only variesbetween 71.18% to 70.506% and 72.55% across the exit pupil. Moreover, itis advantageous that the reflectivity at operating wavelength of 13.5 nmis practically identical for angle of incidence of 2° and 10°. Hence,this reticle is especially suitable for use in lithography devices withprojection systems with an illumination aperture of 4°. For in thiscase, the angle of incidence varies between 6 °±4°=2° to 10°. Therefore,the drop in reflectivity at the upper and lower pupil margin ispractically symmetrical. It should be pointed out that the choice of theprincipal ray angle of 6° and the choice of the illumination apertureangle of 40° should merely be considered a sample embodiment of thenotion of the invention, but the notion of the invention itself is notlimited to this sample embodiment and can be easily adapted to theparticular lithography optics.

Moreover, it should be noted that satisfactory results with regard tothe apodization in the present example are achieved in a periodthickness range of around 6.962 nm to 6.990 nm. TABLE 1 Relative fieldcoordinate (x, y) (0.00; 0.94) (0.00; 0.95) (0.00; 0.97) (0.00; 0.98)(0.00; 1.00) Angle 5.8° 5.9° 6.0° 6.1° 6.2° Minimum reflectivity (%)68.20 67.81 67.38 66.92 66.42 Maximum reflectivity (%) 72.78 72.78 72.7872.78 72.78

TABLE 2 Relative field coordinate (x, y) (0.00; 0.94) (0.00; 0.95)(0.00; 0.97) (0.00; 0.98) (0.00; 1.00) Angle 5.8° 5.9° 6.0° 6.1° 6.2°Minimum reflectivity (%) 71.18 71.07 70.90 70.71 70.50 Maximumreflectivity (%) 72.55 72.55 72.55 72.55 72.55

1. A mask comprising: a multilayer coating of a period thicknessdistribution d(x,y,z), wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z) at least atone location (x₀,y₀,z₀) is greater than a period thickness d_(ideal) forwhich a maximum reflectivity would obtain for an operating wavelength.2. The mask according to claim 1, wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z)is greater than d_(ideal) over the entire mask surface.
 3. The maskaccording to claim 1, wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z) is constantover the entire mask surface.
 4. The mask with multilayer coating of aperiod thickness distribution d(x,y,z) according to claim 1, wherein theperiod thickness d(x,y,z) is chosen such that the reflectivity by themask of an upper and a lower marginal ray of a given illuminationaperture are approximately the same size.
 5. A mask comprising: amultilayer coating of a period thickness distribution d(x,y,z), whereinthe period thickness d(x,y,z) is chosen such that a reflectivity by themask of an upper and a lower marginal ray of a given illuminationaperture are approximately the same size.
 6. A lithography device,especially for the EUV and soft x-ray wavelength region, comprising: anillumination system; a mask comprising a multilayer coating of a periodthickness distribution d(x,y,z), wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z)at least at one location (x₀,y₀,z₀) is greater than a period thicknessd_(ideal) for which a maximum reflectivity would obtain for an operatingwavelength, and a projection system.
 7. The lithography device accordingto claim 6, wherein the illumination system is designed such that themask is deliberately illuminated inhomogeneously, so that pupilapodization effects are at least partly compensated.
 8. The lithographydevice according to claim 6, wherein at least one optical element isarranged in front of the mask in the beam path, so that pupilapodization effects are at least partly compensated.
 9. The lithographydevice according to claim 8, wherein the at least one optical element isat least one filter.
 10. The lithography device according to claim 6,wherein the projection system has at least one optical element withgraduated multilayer coating.
 11. A semiconductor component produced bystructuring of a substrate by means of a lithography device according toclaim
 6. 12. The mask according to claim 2, wherein the period thicknessd(x,y,z) is constant over the entire mask surface.
 13. The maskaccording to claim 12, wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z) is chosensuch that the reflectivity by the mask of an upper and a lower marginalray of a given illumination aperture are approximately the same size.14. The lithography device according to claim 7, wherein at least oneoptical element is arranged in front of the mask in the beam path, sothat pupil apodization effects are at least partly compensated.
 15. Thelithography device according to claim 14, wherein the at least oneoptical element is at least one filter.
 16. The lithography deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein the projection system has at least oneoptical element with graduated multilayer coating.
 17. The lithographydevice according to claim 6, wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z) isgreater than d_(ideal) over the entire mask surface, wherein the periodthickness d(x,y,z) is constant over the entire mask surface, and whereinthe period thickness d(x,y,z) is chosen such that the reflectivity bythe mask of an upper and a lower marginal ray of a given illuminationaperture are approximately the same size.
 18. The lithography deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z) is greaterthan d_(ideal) over the entire mask surface, wherein the periodthickness d(x,y,z) is constant over the entire mask surface, and whereinthe period thickness d(x,y,z) is chosen such that the reflectivity bythe mask of an upper and a lower marginal ray of a given illuminationaperture are approximately the same size.
 19. The lithography deviceaccording to claim 9, wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z) is greaterthan d_(ideal) over the entire mask surface, wherein the periodthickness d(x,y,z) is constant over the entire mask surface, and whereinthe period thickness d(x,y,z) is chosen such that the reflectivity bythe mask of an upper and a lower marginal ray of a given illuminationaperture are approximately the same size.
 20. The lithography deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein the period thickness d(x,y,z) is greaterthan d_(ideal) over the entire mask surface, wherein the periodthickness d(x,y,z) is constant over the entire mask surface, and whereinthe period thickness d(x,y,z) is chosen such that the reflectivity bythe mask of an upper and a lower marginal ray of a given illuminationaperture are approximately the same size.